Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibra and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibra and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $814 per month in Ibra vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,244 per month in Ibra vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,673 per month in Ibra vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ibra is about 37% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Ibra and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ibra 39% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 OMR 1.99

$11.73 MX$203

-55.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.53 OMR 10.21

$41.62 MX$719

-36.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 OMR 3.08

$10.64 MX$184

-24.91%

Cappuccino

$5.01 OMR 1.93

$3.52 MX$60.8

42.33%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 OMR 0.40

$1.51 MX$26.09

-30.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

$0.97 MX$16.82

-64.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.37 OMR 4.76

$2.95 MX$51.0

319.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.57 OMR 4.45

$4.45 MX$77.0

160.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 OMR 0.74

$1.38 MX$23.90

38.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$1.89 MX$32.69

-34.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 OMR 0.66

$1.64 MX$28.29

4.27%

Eggs

$2.46 OMR 0.95

$2.51 MX$43.30

-1.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.82 OMR 1.47

$8.34 MX$144

-54.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 OMR 1.97

$8.34 MX$144

-38.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.49 OMR 3.27

$10.73 MX$185

-20.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 OMR 0.95

$2.60 MX$45.00

-4.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 OMR 0.66

$1.46 MX$25.18

18.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 OMR 0.69

$1.90 MX$32.84

-5.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 OMR 0.44

$2.08 MX$35.88

-45.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 OMR 0.37

$1.78 MX$30.68

-45.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 OMR 0.38

$2.19 MX$37.76

-54.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 OMR 0.42

$1.04 MX$17.97

3.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 OMR 0.20

$1.08 MX$18.60

-51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 OMR 2.51

$4.08 MX$70.5

59.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.83 OMR 6.10

$10.32 MX$178

53.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 OMR 1.69

$1.71 MX$29.59

156.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.61 OMR 2.93

$2.58 MX$44.50

194.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 OMR 1.23

$3.26 MX$56.4

-2.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 OMR 0.29

$2.49 MX$43.05

-69.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.42 OMR 4.01

$3.25 MX$56.1

220.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$1.31 MX$22.59

-54.20%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.7K OMR 8,731

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-25.11%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.4K OMR 8,234

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-8.73%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$109 OMR 41.87

$82.9 MX$1,432

31.25%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$40.78 OMR 15.70

$22.22 MX$384

83.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 OMR 27.12

$29.34 MX$507

140.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.05 OMR 11.95

$51.6 MX$892

-39.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.36 OMR 7.07

$18.32 MX$317

0.22%

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 OMR 2.69

$5.07 MX$87.5

37.48%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$192 OMR 74.0

$201 MX$3,470

-4.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,837 OMR 3,787

$5,212 MX$90.1K

88.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.31 OMR 18.98

$36.92 MX$638

33.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.60 OMR 15.25

$39.79 MX$688

-0.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.5 OMR 30.99

$78.5 MX$1,356

2.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 OMR 34.18

$87.1 MX$1,505

1.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,190 OMR 1,613

$664 MX$11.5K

531.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

11.42

-54.90%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ibra: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 531% higher in Ibra, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Ibra versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $249 – making Ibra the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ibra vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 59% more than Ibra, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,222 per month in Ibra and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $814 in Ibra and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $192 per month in Ibra and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ibra, where all-in costs run around $814, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Ibra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ibra costs $814 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ibra. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.